DU professor assaulted in East Delhi, no one comes to her aid

New Delhi: While the city police continues to battle with the issue of woman’s safety and security on the city streets, joining the hall of shame in a shocking incident, a Delhi University professor of Mata Sundari College was allegedly threatened to be killed, slapped, assaulted and abused in broad daylight in Mayur Vihar’s Phase III after she was allegedly dragged along with her handbag by a bike-borne man.

The entire incident was recorded in a CCTV at a nearby petrol pump. What emerged more shocking was that bystanders chose to remain mute spectators, while the lady professor was being assaulted in the middle of the road.

The incident took place on January 3 afternoon at Vij Auto Centre owned by Bharat Petroleum, opposite to SFS flats in Mayur Vihar Phase III. The complainant had come to the petrol pump to refill the fuel and was leaving for college when the incident took place. It came to light after the DU professor took to Facebook and shared her horror. The complainant, identified as Radhika Menon, in her plaint said, “I was going to college in the morning to take my classes when I was stopped at Vij Auto Centre for refuelling my car. As I was boarding the car, a young man in an orange hoodie came from the wrong side, dragged me along with my bag. As I pulled my bag, he also fell and began abusing and threatening me.”

“After that the accused started assaulting me. I turned to the petrol agents and bystanders to note his vehicle number, but they simply looked away even as the man punched me again and sped away. I am shocked at the ease with which a woman can be threatened, slapped about, abused and assaulted at a public place, while people simply watch.”

Undeterred by the humiliation, Radhika was meted out with she called the police who rushed to the spot and carried out the investigation. The victim alleged that the cops initially were unresponsive but later managed to retrieve the footage from one of the surveillance cameras.

“I spent the whole morning, afternoon and early evening trying to get the footage, medical done and then lodged the FIR. Though the face of the assailant is not clear who attacked Ms. Menon but the footage has the entire incident recorded.  From whatever they saw of the footage the police think it was not bag snatching incident, but a deliberate act of rash driving towards me,” said Radhika.

Taking a note of the incident, the police have launched a massive man hunt to nab the assailant of Radhika Menon who was seen waering orange hoodie. Police is also verifying nearby CCTV cameras to get the vehicle registration number. According to a senior police officer based on the complaint given by Radhika and verfying the content of surveillance camera, a case Under Sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) has been registered in New Ashok Nagar police station and probe is underway.